11 minute read
Secretary's Minutes, October 16, 1942 - October 15, 1943
ILLUSTRATIONS
Helen Wilkinson Reynolds - Lieutenant Jonathan Thorn, U. S. N. - Opp. p. 18 Opp. p. 77
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1916—PAMPHLET: Troutbeck, A Dutchess County Homestead; by Charles E. Benton. Out of print.
1924—COLLECTIONS : VOL. I; Poughkeepsie, The Origin and Meaning of the Word; by Helen Wilkinson Reynolds.
1924--COLLECTIONS, VOL. II; Old Gravestones of Dutchess County, New York; collected and edited by J. Wilson Poucher, M. D., and Helen Wilkinson Reynolds.
1928—COLLECTIONS, VOL. III; Records of the Town of Hyde Park, Dutchess County, New York; edited by Franklin D. Roosevelt. Edition exhausted.
1930—CoLLEcTioNs, VOL. IV; Notices of Marriages and Deaths in Newspapers printed at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., 1778-1825; compiled and edited by Helen Wilkinson Reynolds.
1932—COLLECTIONS. VOL. V; Records of the Reformed Dutch Church of New Hackensack, Dutchess County, New York; edited by Maria Bockee Carpenter Tower.
1938—COLLECTIONS, VOL. VI; Eighteenth Century Records of the portion of Dutchess County, New York, that was included in Rombout Precinct and the original Town of Fishkill. Collected by William Willis Reese. Edited by Helen Wilkinson Reynolds.
1940—COLLECTIONS, VOL. VII. Records of Crum Elbow Precinct, Dutchess County. Edited by Franklin D. Roosevelt.
For information in regard to any of the above publications address: Mrs. Amy Ver Nooy, Assistant Secretary, Dutchess County Historical Society, Adriance Memorial Library, Poughkeepsie, N. Y.
SECRETARY'S MINUTES
A meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Dutchess County Historical Society was held on Wednesday afternoon, February 10, at 3.30 o'clock, at the Adriance Memorial Library, Poughkeepsie.
Present: President Guernsey, Dr. Baldwin, Mr. Husted, Mr. Mylod., Mr. Otis, Mr. F. J. Poucher, Mr. Van Wyck, the treasurer, the secretary and the assistant secretary.
After the trustees had assembled, Mr. Guernsey announced that the meeting had been called to discuss plans for the year and to receive the report of the committee which had been appointed to draw up a resolution expressing the loss to the society in the death of Miss Helen Wilkinson Reynolds. Mrs. Waterman read the resolution, prepared by the committee composed of Dr. Poucher, Mr. George S. Van Vliet and Mrs. Waterman. After hearing the resolution it was unanimously approved and ordered brought before the annual meeting of the society to be held in May.
Dr. Poucher read a tribute which he had written in memory of Miss Reynolds and it was voted that it be printed in the next issue of the year book. It was suggested that Dr. Baldwin and Dr. Poucher collaborate in this tribute and include in it an appraisal of the books written by Miss Reynolds. This suggestion was approved. The treasurer reported that she had received the $5,000.00 bequest which had been left to the society by our late president, Mr. Reese, and that the money had been deposited in a special account in the Poughkeepsie Savings Bank. She reported that the society had a fund, amounting to $900.00 in the interest department of one of the other local banks, which is earning very little interest. After discussion, it was voted that a War Savings Bond of a value of $1,000 be purchased in the name of the society, this purchase to be made after July 1. Mr. Guernsey announced that the name of Mr. Harry Harkness Flagler had been proposed as a trustee to fill the unexpired term of Miss Helen Wilkinson Reynolds. The motion was made and seconded and Mr. Flagler was accordingly elected a member of the Board of Trustees, his term of office to expire with the annual meeting of 1946. The matter of the future of the year book was discussed and upon motion Mrs. Ver Nooy was appointed editor of the year book. Mrs. Ver Nooy said that she hoped there might be considerable material in the way of notes among Miss Reynolds' papers and that she felt with that to draw upon and with the help of Dr. Baldwin and Dr. Poucher, which had been offered,
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an acceptable issue might be prepared.
The assistant secretary read a letter received from Miss Eleanor Upton, expressing appreciation of the wreath which had been sent in the name of the society to the funeral of Miss Reynolds.
She also read a letter from Mr. Willis L. M. Reese accepting his election as a member of the Board of Trustees of this society.
The treasurer asked if an auditting committee might be appointed. She explained that although she kept her records very carefully, she would prefer that they be looked over at least once a year by some member of the society. Mr. Guernsey agreed to appoint a committee for this purpose.
The matter of the spring meeting was discussed but no definite plans were made, the president remarking that another meeting of the Board would be held before the annual meeting in May.
The following names were proposed for membership and the new members were elected: St. Lawrence University Library, Mrs. Elizabeth Mount, the Rev. Philip A. Swartz and Mr. Alfred J. Weddle.
J. WILSON POUCHER, Secretary.
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES MARCH 31, 1943
Present: President Guernsey, Dr. Baldwin, Mr. Flagler, Mr. Husted, Mr. Otis, Mr. F. J. Poucher, Mr. Van Kleeck, Mr. Van Vliet, Mr. Van Wyck, the treasurer, the secretary and the assistant secretary.
The President introduced Mr. Harry Harkness Flagler, who had been elected to serve the unexpired term of Miss Reynolds, and the other members welcomed him as a fellow member of the Board.
The minutes of the meeting of the Board of Trustees, held February 10, were read and approved.
Mr. Guernsey said that this meeting had been called for the purpose of discussing plans for the annual meeting, and said that he hoped some of those present might have some suggestions. After considerable discussiOn it was agreed to hold the meeting on the usual date, the third Friday in May, at 11 o'clock at the Nelson House, the luncheon to follow at 12 o'clock.
Dr. Baldwin was appointed chairman of a committee to select a speaker for the meeting.
Mrs. Waterman and Mrs. Ver Nooy were requested to make arrangements with the manager of the Nelson House for the meeting and the luncheon.
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The President reported that he had appointed Mr. Allen Frost as chairman of a committee to audit the books of the society.
Mrs. Ver Nooy reported that Mrs. Oscar Bloodgood Smith of Morristown, N. J., had sent to the society a photograph of a portrait of William Emott. 1VIrs. Waterman explained that a campaign to sell defense bonds was to be conducted during April and asked permission to purchase in April the $1,000 bond which she had been authorized to purchase in July. This permission was granted.
The name of Mr. Alvah G. Frost was presented and he was. elected a member of the society.
Dr. Baldwin reported that he was engaged in preparing an appraisal of the writings of Miss, Reynolds.
There being no further business,, the meeting adjourned.
J. WILSON POUCHER, Secretary.
ANNUAL MEETING MAY 21, 1943
The annual meeting of the Dutchess County Historical Society was held on Friday, May 21, at the Nelson House, Poughkeepsie. The business meeting was held at 11 o'clock with an attendance of 38 members.
The meeting was opened by the president, Mr. Guernsey.
The minutes of the semi-annual meeting, held October 16, 1942, and of two meetings of the Board of Trustees, held February 10, and March 31, 1943, were read by the assistant secretary.
The assitant secretary also read the report of the secretary and listed the following items which had been received by gift and exchange: New York History, the quarterly of the New York State Historical Association for January and April, 1943. The Bulletin of the New York
State Historical Association for December, 1942, and March, 1943. The Bulletin of the Fort Ticonderoga Museum, January, 1943. The New York Historical Society Quarterly Bulletin for January and April, 1943. Knickerbocker Weekly, published', by the Netherland Publishing Corporation, for January 18,, 1943. Three volumes prepared by the Historical Records Survey: Inventory of Borough Archives in the City of New York, Bronx Borough, No. 1; Inventory of the Church Archives in New York City, the Roman Catholic Church, vol.. 2; Guide to Public Vital. Statistics Records in New York State, vol. 3, Death Records. Photograph of a painting of Squire William Emott, owned. by
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. James T. Emott, Morristown, N. J. The photograph is the gift of Mrs. Oscar Bloodgood Smith of Morristown, N. J.
The secretary's report also reported that the society had lost a few members by resignation and the following members by death: Mrs. I. Reynolds Adriance, Mr. 'Henry Bartlett, Mrs. James L. ,Britton, Mr. Charles E. CarTenter, Mrs. Henry S. Corney, Mrs. Horatio Nelson, Miss Helen W. Reynolds, Mr. William Schicicle, Mr. Derrick W. Ten Broeck, _Mrs. A. Wesley Triller, Mrs. _Arthur F. Tuttle and Miss Alice
:Mrs. Waterman gave the re:port ('of the treasurer, which was .tapproved and appears in this issue oof the year book. The treasurer also reported that, in accordance with a decision made at a meeting of the Board of Trustees held on : Marbh 31, $750.00 had been withdrawn'from the permanent account held by the society in the Pough` keepSie 'Trust Company and had been ,used for the purchase of a defense bond (which has been placed for safekeeping in the safe 'of the Adriance Memorial Library). -Mrs. Ver Nooy reported that - some material was already in hand -rfor the 1943 issue of the year book and that she hoped, although Miss Reynolds had set a very high standard, an acceptable number • might be expected this year.
The president remarked that he felt that the members appreciate the fact that it has been impossible for the society to plan on having the usual pilgrimages while there is need for the conservation of tires and gasoline and that he hoped some sort of event might be planned for the fall to compensate for the omission of the customary pilgrimage. He said that he would be glad to hear of any suggestion, which might be offered by the members, for such an event.
The curator, Mr. Frost, submitted a list of books and documents which are owned by the society and which have been on file at Vassar Brothers Institute. He reported that he had removed the important documents to safe storage at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, in accordance with the advice of the Committee on the Conservation of Cultural Resources, where they will be safely stored for the duration of the war. He explained that they are still the property of the society and are available for use by its members.
Mr. Frost also announced that among his activities at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library has been the microfilming of many important documents and papers, including many original papers of the Bard family, papers of the Levi P. Morton and the Archibald Rogers estates, and a collection of Livingston Redmond papers, numbering about 8,000, and dating from 1666. He said that the library hoped to use the equipment for the microfilming of private collections of documents of local historical interest and that they would soon be in a position to photostat small collections or individual docu-
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ments. He hoped that the members of the society would permit the library to use its equipment for the reproduction of any important documents, papers or letters.
Mrs. Waterman read the resolution, prepared by the committee appointed for that purpose, expressing the loss felt by the society in the death of Miss Reynolds. The resolution was approved and ordered published in the year book. The committee was composed of Mrs. Waterman, Dr. Poucher and Mr. George S. Van Vliet.
Mr. Guernsey announced that it was the custom at the annual meeting to elect the officers for the year and to elect four trustees for a term of four years. The motion was made and passed that the secretary cast one ballot to re-elect the present officers and the four trustees whose terms expired with that meeting. Accordingly the officers were re-elected and the following trustees were re-elected to serve until the annual meeting of 1947: Mr. Charles M. De LaVergne, Mr. J. Hunting Otis, Mr. Edmund Van Wyck and Mr. Herbert C. Shears.
The following new members were proposed and elected: Mrs. Elting Lumb, Dr. John H. Dingman and Mrs. Helen Green Daniels of Pawling.
As there was no further business the meeting adjourned to the dining room where luncheon was served to 87 members. After luncheon Mr. Guernsey presented Mr. Frederick R. Stevens of the Division of Archives and History, State Education Department, who told of the founding of the Society of the Cincinnati. His paper appears as one of the articles in the year book.
At the conclusion of Mr. Stevens' address the meeting closed with a rising vote of thanks to the speaker.
J. WILSON POUCHER, Secretary.
SEMI-ANNUAL MEETING OCTOBER 15, 1943
The semi-annual meeting of the Dutchess County Historical Society was held on Friday, October 15, at 11 a. m., at the Nelson House, Poughkeepsie. There was an attendance of 41 members at the business meeting.
The meeting was opened by the president.
The minutes of the annual meeting, held May 21, were read and approved.
The report of the secretary was given and listed the following accessions: New York History, the quarterly of the New York State Historical Association, for July. Bulletin of the New York State
Historical Association for
June. Bulletin of the Fort Ticonderoga
Museum, June and August. The New-York Historical Society
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